Shadow of Johto
by GreenCalamity
Summary: Dreams are funny things. They seem so clear, so alluring persistent at the time, but only once we take a step back do we see that it's an illusions. The illusion of grandeur. A weakness that everyone seems to mistake for ambition. A mistake that proved more fatal than I had anticipated.


"The greatest of journeys begin with a single dream, before the prestige of victory there must be the chaos of failure." – Ash Ketchum, 74th World Champion.

 **Chapter: 1**

Dreams are funny things. They seem so clear, so alluring persistent at the time, but only once we take a step back do we see that it's an illusions. The illusion of grandeur. A weakness that everyone seems to mistake for ambition. A mistake that proved more fatal than I had anticipated.

Darkness swells incessantly casting her humble shadow over New Bark Town. Out of the shadow a figure stalked sullenly, away from the town's heart, above him shone fluorescent bulbs, which contrasted defiantly against the gentle dimness of night. The individual cursed under his breath as cascades of water begun to trickle down from the sky above.

Of course it would rain. David sighed. His luck seemed to always fall on the wrong end of the coin. As if it didn't matter how hard he tried, how much he planned, fate would fault him. He found himself wishing that he had brought a rain coat, or an umbrella at the very least. He briefly contemplated going back, but couldn't face returning to the deafening roar of the town's centre.

"Stupid Pokémon!" A voice interrupted David's misery. A boy barged out of a nearby building, which David recognised as Professor Elm's Laboratory. "A weak, worthless Weedle? Elm must have finally snapped. Ha, I don't need it, I'll just purchase a real Pokémon online."

David sighed, when he had been that age he would have been thrilled for any opportunity to train a Pokémon, any Pokémon, but here this boy was, throwing it all away.

"What do you want?" The kid glared at David. David was taken aback by the conceited attitude the boy held. A silent rage started to surge, but he calmed it down.

"There are no weak Pokémon, just weak trainers." David snarled; letting his anger get the better of him. He kept eye contact like a Houndour ready to pounce.

"Oh yeah? If you think you can train this bug into becoming strong be my guest!" The kid cried out throwing the Pokéball at David. He then turned on his heal and stormed off.  
David stood their stunned, the boy had shown total disrespect towards the Pokémon in that ball. It angered him. How could someone who behaved like that be given a trainers licence? It seemed wrong, unjust, of course, he of all people, was not ignorant of the world's corruption, it had long since been apparent that justice could be bought, plain and simple.  
David stared at the red-and-white ball for a few minutes before he gingerly reached for it. The sphere was cool to his touch, foreign to his unfamiliar hands.

"You better come inside." David heard a voice, he spun around to see an elderly man drenched in a white lab coat.

David nodded, and without a word followed the man into the laboratory.

"I knew he was not a fit trainer the minute he walked in." The man sighed as he led David towards his office. "It's ridiculous how the Pokémon League Association will just hand out a Training Licence as long as they pay their precious little fee." The man didn't seem to care if David was listing or not, yet he continued his tirade. "I remember in my day there used to be tests and requirements that one would have to meet just to own a Pokémon, let along train one!" He sighed exaggeratedly. "Times have changed I'm afraid, enough about me, tell me about yourself."  
Before David could give an answer the man interrupted. "I'm sorry where are my manners? I'm Professor Elm, I have dedicated the last thirty years of my life studying the origins of Pokémon, and I have a few questions for you."

David felt the Professor's eyes pierce into him, as if he was examining every ounce of his soul, judging his mistakes and failures. David defended this by hiding beneath his standard scowl.

"What's your name, son?" Elm smiled friendly, trying to ease David's mood, it didn't.

"David." He muttered, looking away.

"David who?" Elm pushed for more.

David shook his head. "It's just David." He said cutting himself off from any family history or status that might be tied to his name.

Elm smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry to hear that. Have you had any experience in raising Pokémon?"

 _Yes._ "None." David lied grinding his teeth.

Elm looked surprised by this and made a not on his pad. "Why didn't you apply for your Trainers Licence at a younger age, like all of the other children?"

David shot him a spiteful smile which immediately fell back to a scowl. "It's like you said: the Pokémon League Association will give anyone a licence, as long as they pay the fee, I couldn't."

"Hmm, that's a shame." He said into his notepad. "I couldn't help but overhear what you told that young boy outside, do you truly believe that?"

David thought about this for a second and shrugged. "Strong Pokémon, Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favourites."

Elm grinned knowingly. "May Birch, one of our greatest World Champions, I'm surprised you knew that quote. Most people rush off in pursuit for what they believe to be the most 'powerful' Pokémon."

David didn't say anything, instead he just shrugged.

"I have a favour to ask of you." The Professor said as he stood up from his desk. "I am in need of someone to carry out some research for me, fieldwork, that I'm afraid I have grown too old to do myself. It requires." Elm paused, trying to find the perfect word. "It requires an aspiring trainer, and I believe that you are the perfect person for the job." He said as he opened his cupboards. "I need you to take this Pokédex with you on your journey, all I ask is that you record anything, umm, interesting that you discover along the way, I shall monitor your progress from right here." He places the Pokédex along with five Pokéballs on the desk in front of David. "Once again I must apologise, you must have a tonne of questions for me."

"Just one." David rose from his seat. "Why me?"

Professor Elm smiled gently. "I pride myself in seeing talent in young trainers, there is an intangible quality in trainers like you that differentiate you from the others. People like you. Trainers like you, are capable of achieving great things."

David let down his guard for a second and pride shone in his eyes, but he quickly reverted back to his cold, emotionless stare.

"Now, I won't be sending you out on your quest on your own, you'll need a starter Pokémon, a partner to grow strong with."

"I already have my partner." David said holding out the Pokéball that had previously been thrown at him. A brilliant white beam shone from the ball releasing the Pokémon within. A brick orange bug look up at him confused.

Professor Elm shock his head with an incredulous smile. "I knew I picked the right person for the job. Of course you must realise raising a Pokémon who you are not the original trainer will not be easy. It will test you, you will need to earn its respect, and unfortunately that is easier said than done. It could take years, if ever to achieve this."

"Weedle?" The Pokémon lifted its head and looked at David.

"Nothing's ever been easy for me." He muttered under his breath.

 **David's Team:**

 **Weedle.**

 **Few things, Pokémon will learn moves they may not normally learn, as long as it's within reason. When and what they learn is dependent on the trainer, this applies to evolution too. I will only include generation 3 stuff, that new stuff confuses me.**

 **Be sure to leave a comment if you enjoyed this chapter or if you have any further questions. - GreenCalamity**


End file.
